The Shattered Fragment
by CrimsonStrider
Summary: This story takes place near the end of Watanagashi. Rena and Keiichi are the only ones who are alive out of their group of friends. Not soon after, they learn they, along with Chie-sensei, survived a mysterious event that cost all of residents in Hinamizawa their lives. From this point on, the two start their lives anew, but they have yet to know the challenges that are to come...


Chapter 1: The Visit

Rena Ryuugu rested her head on the sleeping Keiichi Maebara. Her head sat on her arms, which was placed over Keiichi's chest. Rena's face faced Keiichi's as she looked at the peaceful expression he wore. Her cheeks became slightly flushed as she smiled to herself. Rena was happy to see such an expression on her friend's face, even more so after witnessing Keiichi almost kill himself. Rena reached towards Keiichi's neck with one arm. Light marks made by intense scratching were visible. Rena gently touched his neck, examining the marks.

MOMENTS BEFORE…

Rena stood outside the hospital room of her friend, Keiichi. Keiichi had been hospitalized after he had been stabbed by an unknown person. A day after the incident, Rena decided on visiting Keiichi, just to see how he was holding up. But now, here she was, standing outside his room, unable to enter due to being completely nervous.

Oishi had exited out of the room minutes ago, and from even before that point, Rena was still trying bring up the courage to enter the room. Rena felt her face warm up. Bringing up both her hands to her face, she felt the warmth of her blushed cheeks.

"It's just Keiichi-kun…" Rena muttered to herself. "Just Keiichi-kun…"

Rena's heart began to race at the thought of Keiichi, making her a little more reluctant in entering the room. Most of her friends were gone now. Satoko and Rika were killed by "Mion". Rena knew the one who killed the younger girls was Shion Sonozaki, Mion Sonozaki's twin sister. But for the sake of Keiichi, she didn't say anything. Rena suspected that Shion had killed Mion, so Mion was dead. And Shion, from what she had been told by Oishi, had died.

Now only Keiichi was her only living friend…

"Gyaaah!"

A scream came within the room. Rena's head shot up, her hand instinctively reaching for the knob of the door. The voice that screamed belonged to Keiichi, that much Rena knew. Without a second thought, Rena opened the door, becoming slightly shocked at the scene before her. Keiichi, lying in his bed, was franticly scratching at his neck.

"Keiichi-kun!" Screamed Rena as she dashed over to Keiichi.

Rena attempted to pull away Keiichi's arms from his neck. Keiichi resisted for an unknown reason, franticly moving, which made it difficult for Rena to pull his arms away. To better her attempt, she climbed on top of him, preventing him from squirming about. She then proceeded to pull his arms away once more, this time in succession. Rena pinned his arms on the bed, having to lean towards Keiichi to keep them pinned.

"Graaah!" Keiichi screamed, trying to free himself.

"Stop it, Keiichi-kun!" Rena yelled. "Stop!"

"Mion!" Keiichi screamed, confusing Rena. "Mion! No! Please…Please forgive me! Aaah!"

Keiichi continued to scream on about Mion as if she were attacking him. Rena was slightly confused. She began to wonder "Can't you see me, Keiichi? It's me, Rena". She didn't know what to do nor what to say. In the moment of feeling lost and hurt, Rena's eyes began to tear up. She stared down at Keiichi, his blue eyes wore a crazed look as he still resisted Rena and screamed about Mion.

A form of jealousy rose in Rena. Even though the thought of Mion was negative, it seemed that's who all Keiichi thought about. When Mion hadn't come to school, when Mion was in trouble or hurt, Keiichi was always there for her and worried for her. Though Keiichi cares for all his friends the same way, it seemed that Mion was more special to Keiichi than anyone else.

Rena shook her, feeling guilty for feeling such a thing as jealousy towards one of her trusted friends. Her attention reverted from the guilt to Keiichi, who still squirmed under her yet screaming less. He was probably losing his voice from screaming so much.

"Keiichi-kun, it's okay. Rena's here…Mii-chan won't hurt you…" Rena said soothingly. Rena felt bad for saying something Mion would never do, so she went on. "Mii-chan has already forgiven you. She would never want to hurt you, and she would never hate you."

Keiichi seemed to squirm less and less. Rena felt sure to let go of his arms now, so she slid her hands away from his arms and brought them over his chest. Keiichi seemed calmer, but the look in his eyes seemed distant now. Rena put on a small smile for her small triumph, but she was still worried.

"Keiichi-kun…can you hear me?" Keiichi didn't show any response, but Rena went on. "You know, we're the only ones left. Rika-chan, Satoko-chan…and Mii-chan…they're all gone. So please…" A single tear finally escaped Rena's eyes. "Don't do that again. I don't want to lose you too…"

It was an instinctive action, but Rena leaned forward slowly, feeling the slow, rhythmic breathing of Keiichi on her skin. Her heart raced as she got closer and closer to him, until finally, their lips met. The kiss was gentle and sweet, and though it was short, Rena felt like it had been minutes before she slowly pulled away. Rena's face was completely flustered about what just happened. Her heart was still racing uncontrollably.

"Re…Rena…"

Rena became startled by the low call of her name. But that was only for a moment. Not even a mere second had passed before Rena hugged Keiichi out relief. In response, Keiichi groan in pain, a shot of pain coming from the spot he had been stabbed and stitched.

"Ah, sorry!" Rena said as she sat back up, tears sliding down her cheeks. Keiichi grinned as if he were forgiving her.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Keiichi asked as he sat up slowly, then wiping some tears of Rena's face. Rena was still sitting on Keiichi on the upper half of his legs.

"I'm just happy that you're okay, Keiichi-kun. You are okay, aren't you? Aren't you?" Rena said through sniffles.

Keiichi was reluctant to answer as he secretly bit his lip. "Yes, I'm fine…"

Rena sensed that Keiichi was lying, it was quite obvious to her, but for the sake of the moment, she let it be. She then hugged him, this time to make sure she didn't hurt him while doing so.

"Thank you…" Rena whispered to him. "Thank you for being okay…"

Keiichi grinned and returned the hug, but his eyes did not drift away from the corner of the room. Sitting there with her head to her knees was a girl with long green hair. She was staring intensely at Keiichi as he stared back, doing his best to hide the fear he felt due to Rena being present. He didn't want to say anything about it either. If Rena were to see it…Keiichi didn't want to know what would happen.

Keiichi lightly pushed Rena away, staring silently at her while trying to ignore the girl in the corner. Rena took a deep breath before climbing off the bed and taking a seat on a chair that was placed near the bed. As she took a seat, Rena wiped away the tears away from her eyes, and then looked at Keiichi. Keiichi was looking at a certain corner of the room. She followed his stare, but there was nothing there.

"Keiichi-kun?" Rena called out.

"Hm?" Keiichi replied, his eyes not leaving the corner.

"Are you okay? Are you?" Rena went on.

Keiichi sighed before facing Rena. "Yes, didn't I tell you that already?" Keiichi lied once again. "I'm just tired, Rena…"

Rena patted the pillow on his bed, telling him to lie down. Keiichi smiled softly before lying back down. It became expectantly awkward for the two. As he was about to asked Rena how long she would be here, Keiichi heard her sing in a beautiful, soothing voice. It was a lullaby **(A/N: I couldn't find the name of the lullaby, but I can tell you that if you search "lullaby by Alainediema", the first youtube link is the song)**. The flow of the lyrics and the sound of Rena's voice mixed so well together. Keiichi closed his eyes, listening to the lullaby being sung, forgetting about the eerie girl watching intensively.

It was like a mother singing to her child, and as soon as she finished singing to the child, the child had fallen asleep. Rena smiled to herself, seeing the peaceful expression Keiichi wore as he slept. She put her arms on his chest, then rested her head on them. She faced her head towards Keiichi's, her cheeks warming up as she watched him sleep. She could feel the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed quietly. With one arm, Rena reached for his neck, gently running her hand over it. She gazed at the light marks that were left by the earlier moment. She then ran her hand up to his cheek, the warmth of her and his cheeks mixed, comforting Rena.

Soon enough, Rena herself fell asleep.

This was the beginning of their story. Neither of them knew what was to come in their near future. The events they must endure, the danger rising in the shadows…


End file.
